The episode begins with a flashback, where we see how the Earthquake in the Glades takes apart the Iron Heights Penitentiary. I’d like to see a map of the Arrowverse. Because we know that Iron Heights is in Keystone City. We know the Glades is in Starling City. I really wonder how this earthquake worked. Because not all of Starling City is decimated but the quake made its way to Keystone City. How far apart are these cities? In any case we get to see how the Dollmaker and now Count Vertigo make their escape from the Penitentiary. Through an Arrow shaped hole.
Flash further back to the island. Oliver as been taken to Slade and Shado’s camp by Ivo and his men. Ollie yells to warn them. This buys them time to escape Ivo without him knowing they were there. Though Slade is looking rough. Oliver then takes Ivo to the World War II Japanese bodies. Ivo is looking for the “Hosen” arrowhead that should be with the bodies but cannot find it. He is about to have his men kill Ollie when Slade and Shado rescue him. Once in a safe place Shado reveals the Hosen.
Oliver leads Ivo and his men to the WWII Japanese bodies. Ivo searches everywhere but cannot find “The Hosen,” a special arrowhead that was supposed to be with the bodies. Ivo’s men are about to shoot Oliver when Shado and Slade get the drop on all of them.
Another scene on the island. Slade and Shado rescue Oliver. He grabs Sara as they all flee Ivo’s men. Shado uses one of Ivo’s detonators to cover their escape.
One final island flashback. Shado pulls out the Hosen. She doesn’t know why Ivo wants it. There is a Buddhist inscription on one side and the numbers 30, 30, 175, and 12 on the back. It’s very Lost like and obviously coordinates. They are for the Japanese sub. The sub can apparently save the human race. Ollie wants to find it to save Slade who is getting worse.
Jump back to the present we are finally getting to Moira Queen’s Trial. This is my least favorite story arc of this season so it feels like it has been dragging on forever. A.D.A. Adam Donner who has a “Trump Card” yet to be revealed and Laurel, who should not be allowed to prosecute Moira, are in the courtroom. The trial’s opening arguments try make the case that Moira and her family were threatened by Malcolm Merlyn.
Then we switch to Diggle who is feeling weird since he got a flu-shot. He eventually collapsing from his illness. Then we jump back and Adam Donner is collapsing in the courtroom from seemingly the same thing. Hmmm, I wonder who did this? Adam gets rushed into an ambulance hijacked by Vertigo. Then D.A. Kate Spencer, Alderman Blood, and Laurel are discussing his case and Laurel finds Adam’s “Trump Card.” Laurel goes to the prison where Moira is held and explains this is why Moira can’t take the stand. Because of this Moira is forced to reveal to Thea and Ollie that she had an affair with Malcolm Merlyn. Laurel does a weird cross-examination type thing that makes a terrible case against Moira. How did Laurel get this job? The next day we get the verdict. NOT GUILTY! WTF?!?!?!
Oh yeah and somewhere in here Team Arrow takes down Count Vertigo. Oh, I mean literally. Three arrows in the chest out the window down a few stories on to a cab and I am sure this makes Count Vertigo ripe for a return from the dead. Speaking of which, Moira’s driver takes her from the courtroom to an abandoned parking lot . He steps out of the car and gets shot in the chest by a black Arrow… Malcolm Merlyn is back. He bribed the jury, knows how to escape death, and is Thea’s Dad!
Oh one more scene to mention. Alderman Blood is getting really creepy. He reveals he is the reason for Count Vertigo terrorizing the city. We see he is experimenting on people who now won’t die. One is Brother Cyrus (See more below). I think we’re going to see all these people not dying and the drugs from the island, Slade, and Sebastian Blood all start to connect.
NOTES:
Count Vertigo: Werner Vertigo, also known as Count Vertigo was created by Gerry Conway and Trevor von Eeden and first appeared in World’s Finest #251 in 1978. In most of his incarnations he is a ruler of a fiction country Vlatava. He uses his “Vertigo Effect” to disrupt his enemies’ balance. The TV show does a nice job of switching that to a drug. When he eventually comes back from the dead I think we will see him with a weapon to give people Vertigo he is fighting. Outside of his history as a Green Arrow and Black Canary villain, he has been a part of the Suicide Squad, Checkmate, and the Injustice Society. For a good Count Vertigo story check out the Green Arrow #23.1 by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino.
Malcolm Merlyn: The comic book character of Merlyn first appeared in Justice League of America #94 in 1971. He was created by created by Mike Friedrich, Dick Dillin, and Neal Adams to be an archenemy of Green Arrow. In the comic books Meryln is a stage name and the supervillain name of Arthur King. Oliver Queen is inspired to take up archery after seeing Merlyn perform. As an adult Green Arrow meets Merlyn when Merlyn challenges the hero to a public archery contest. Ollie bests Merlyn. Merlyn disappears from the public eye and joins the League of Assassins. When Green Arrow next meets Merlyn, Ollie is with Batman and is able to deflect one of Merlyn’s arrows with an arrow of his own, saving Batman’s life. Andrew Kreisberg, one of the writers on Arrow wrote a story featuring Merlyn in Green Arrow/Black Canary: Enemies List.
Brother Cyrus: Brother Cyrus most likely refers to Cyrus Gold who becomes the zombie-like character Solomon Grundy. He first appeared in All-American Comics #61 in 1944 and was created by Alfred Bester and Paul Reinman. His name was taken from the 19th Century nursery rhyme. Solomon Grundy’s story starts when Cyrus Gold , a wealthy merchant, was murdered and his body disposed of in Slaughter Swamp. He was supernaturally resurrected fifty years later, partially being composed of material from the swamp. He is named Solomon Grundy in the hobo camp near the Swamp because his only memory is of being born on a Monday. Pretty mindless, he eventually turns to a life a crime and destruction which puts him into battle with the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott. He is eventually killed, but this is not the end because he is trapped in a constant state of reincarnation. Each time he dies he is resurrected in the Slaughter Swamp with slightly different levels of strength, intelligence, and personality. His most notable story involving Oliver is Green Arrow: The Archer’s Quest written by Brad Meltzer (from History Channel’s Brad Meltzer’s Decoded) and Phil Hester. Obviously in the TV show we are seeing Cyrus being constructed by drugs. However it is worth noting that the forever resurrecting Solomon Grundy goes along with this season’s theme of not dying (Ra’s al Ghul and the Lazurus Pit, Professor Anthony Ivo, Mirakuru, etc.).
Kate Spencer: D.A. Kate Spencer has appeared previously in the season 1 episode “Damaged.” She lead the prosecution that charged Oliver Queen with the crimes the Hood committed. Her comic book counterpart is a federal prosecutor who grows tired of seeing guilty super-criminals evade punishment. She takes matters into her own hands, stealing equipment and weapons from an evidence room becoming the vigilante Manhunter. She was created by Marc Andreyko and Jesus Saiz for the wonderful series appropriately titled Manhunter.
Jean Loring: She has been a player in the trial storyline this season. She is a defense attorney and an old friend of Moira Queen’s. She was created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane in Showcase #34 in 1961 as a love interest for Ray Palmer, The Atom. Her comic book counterpart is also a lawyer. She eventually married and divorced Ray Palmer and displayed in various stories some mental instability. She is featured in Identity Crisis by Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales.
Markovia: This is a small country in Europe, ruled by the Markov family and first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #200 in 1983. Prince Brion Markov is also known as the superhero Geo-Force. He can manipulate the Earth’s gravitational field to make an object heavier or lighter, manipulate the earth, turn organic matter into stone, and project “lava blasts.” A Dr. Brion Markov appeared last season in “Darkness at the Edge of Town” where he created a device for Malcolm Merlyn to create the earthquake. Malcolm killed Dr. Markov once the device was complete. Comic book Brion had a half sister Tara Markov who was the sometimes hero and somes villain named Terra who had the ability to control earth much like her brother. She was mentally unstable and had a professional and personal relationship with Slade Wilson. She is introduced in the story “Terra Incognito” in the New Teen Titans. Brion and Ollie were on a team called The Outsiders together.